http://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982
Thu, 05 Mar 2015 10:31:52 -0800IGN Entertainment, Inc.Oysteren-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rsshttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/03/05/a-picture-not-so-perfect-sunny-in-england
I've been slacking on the photography front of late. I've been to busy and distracted to take a moment to actually look around enjoy the all the beautiful things around me. I didn't take a moment to bask in the warm sunlight or look up at that beautiful blue sky that only appears once every few months in England. In my last photo blog only of the pictures on show was taken on a sunny day and that was on a freezing cold evening in Scotland. But I have evidence that the sun does Shine on our fair land.

These are all pictures taken last couple of weeks while in Blackpool, England. it would have been nice and warn in the sun but for the freezing cold wind. They were all taken on my new phone. It's a simple Moto G LTE with a somewhat crappy 5 megapixel camera but in fairness i've had plenty of worse camera phones before.

Central Pier at Blackpool beach.Observe the heavy grey skies that day. Too many days the skies look that way. It's still refreshing to visit the beach. The brisk air and sound of water rushing up the beach. it was nice to be out there for a little while at least.

Skies are even worse now. Indeed the heavens opened not long after and i cut walk short. But the sun does shine in England I tell you.

I present to you Exhibit A.

For anyone outside of Britain that is Blackpool tower. Inspired by the Eiffel tower and created to increase to tourism to what was once a thriving Beach Resort. For anyone in England behind the tower you'll notice something called a clear sky. If you think back to your childhood you may recall such a thing vaguely.

Exhibit B.

Ahh the Sun. It burns, but it burns so good. Actually it was freezing cold but still feels great. Shame the photo isn't quite straight but as you can see the tide was coming in and I was in a rush

Exhibit C.

A shell in the sand and in the top right.......i have no idea what that is. It's so sunny the shell even has a tiny shadow

Exhibit D.

Ah the sun the sea, everything is good except that my path is now cut off by the incoming tide. I would cross it if i wasn't dressed for work at the time.

Exhibit E.

AWWWW CRAP. I turn around and this is what i see. Oh well, was nice while it lasted. I'll always have the memories.....

Not 10 minutes after this was taken i was pelted with hailstone. That hasn't happened to me in several years. Still hurts

]]>Thu, 05 Mar 2015 10:31:52 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/03/05/a-picture-not-so-perfect-sunny-in-england#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/02/10/calling-all-monster-hunters
The Monster Hunter community isn't huge and I'm not entirely sure what online matchmaking systems will be in the game. Still i'd prefer to play with epic members of the community where possible. Feel free to share your friend codes in the comments below and also your experience level (this might be important to others).

Friend Code: 3540-0888-4588

Rank: Complete newbie

Good luck hunting folks. Not me because i'm a pacifist (O_O)

]]>Tue, 10 Feb 2015 04:55:41 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/02/10/calling-all-monster-hunters#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/02/02/overcoming-writers-block
So of late I've found it increasingly different to write anything. Even a casual blog has seemed like a colossal task. It isn't that I didn't have anything to write about or the willingness to write but the process and journey to completion have become arduous. Many people who have written for any significant amount of time have had writers block on occasion. Those moments where in spite of all the wisdom, knowledge and desire we have to manifest our thoughts into words the only real outcome is that of frustration. Something so simple becomes a challenge and one that can be difficult to surmount.

I speak often about my love and respect for the great writers here on MyIGN. Their ability to write consistently with quality, clarity, focus and frequently is an impressive thing. I think I have the ability to do most those things but writing with frequency hasn't been something I've every really done over a substantial period of time. If I've publish a blog a week I'm more than happy and have often been satisfied writing just a couple of times a month. Sometimes it's been a case of time constraints but I've always had an hour here or there if I really needed to it. If I had more time maybe I would have written more but probably not too much more.

Motivation is clearly a factor. I have the motivation to think of ideas, to dissect my own opinions, to turn on my laptop but the words just haven't flowed. I'm out of practice. I've lost the routine that I once had, the mentality to push myself to write and complete something in a way I've done so often before. What I haven't lost is the need for what I write to be of some sort of quality or have a meaning or message that I want to express. I'm my own toughest judge at times and I'm certainly critical of blogs of mine both published and the ones I'm in the process of writing. It isn't for the fear that a bad blog would taint my legacy because all I've written is for the love of writing and the comminity. In the end it's all about the reader and I don't want to waste the time of others with something sub-par. I know what I publish isn't perfect but I want to deliver the best I can so hopefully readers may enjoy or find interest in the message I've shared. I always ask myself would I enjoy this if I read it. When writing of late the answer has always been “NO”. Some ideas are saved in draft documents or blogs while others wiped out completely, which is something I don't advise. An idea may not be ready to be formed into a blog now but having it noted is always useful for the future.

I'm easily distracted. My famously short attention span can make it hard at times to read anything long or write more than a paragraph or two at a time. I get distracted by the things around me, by messages on Skype, by moderator duties. Honestly, sometimes I'm looking for that distraction. I guess that's when I really know that while my head has a decent blog idea my heart just isn't in it all the way. I'm very much an all or nothing kind of person. I need to be all in when I write. I just currently lack the practice and capacity to write with less of an investment. Maybe with regular writing sessions and a more organised approach I could write something better with less effor but I don't think I'll ever get to that stage.

I like to listen to music before and sometimes during the writing process. It's something I've done for a long time. When I write something personal I'm desperately trying to capture the sentiment in words. I find having emotive music helps me hold that emotion while killing all the distractions. Beings immersed in the music while consider my thoughts and emotions just works for me. There's a calmness and the constant nature of the music keeps me writing. Sometimes the music is related to the subject I'm writing about which always helps bring memories and emotions into sharp focus. Sometimes it's just for relaxation before writing starts but other times it has a deeper purpose. It can help bring to the surface emotions that I want to express at times when I maybe thinking far too robotically. I can take a break and jump right back into that “moment” just by replaying the right song.

I wrote a blog before Christmas for Unoclay1's Retro gaming blog contest. I knew what I wanted to say but expressing everything was a somewhat drawn out convoluted process. I listened to one song in particular over and over again. Just a simple melody for simple emotions harking back to a simpler time. The song is included above. While it is far more contemporary than the moments I was writing about but that didn't matter. It captured the right emotions and hopefully allowed me to do the same with words in my blog. The reason I'm writing this blog today is because I was discussing music with MyIGN member Zafarooq who has an amazing series of blogs with excellent relaxing music. As I listen to each track I feel something and I remember something. Associations are made and listening to these tracks may one day be the vehicle to writing another blog or maybe a paragraph or two. Listening to so many new tracks has made me think about how important music is to me as a writer and the way I've used it during my time here. Music has featured a lot in many of my earlier blogs but of late appeared less and less of them. My love for music and the importance of it to me hasn't diminished and no matter if there is music to play on my blogs or not you can be sure the music was playing when I wrote them.

I'm sure everyone has their own distinct way of getting ready to write and quirks that they have in their process. If you feel like sharing them or any tips for fellow writers please share them in the comments below.

]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2015 18:38:07 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/02/02/overcoming-writers-block#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/01/15/my-most-hated-video-game-characters
Hate is a strong word and I'd be hard pressed to think of too many examples of moments where I hated a character in a game. A lot of that is down to immersion and my own level of investment in a game. I'll only put down two choices one who i hate and another who i hate out of pure disappointment.

Lan Di - Shenmue

Few characters have made such an impact by doing so little. The truth is Lan Di is a peripheral figure in both the shenmue games and spend very little time on screen. The fact is you'll see the neighbourhood kitten more than you will Lan Di but that only works in his favour. A classic chinese villain in a Japanese setting but that old history and rivalry means little to me.

So why do I hate Lan Di? is it because his Kung Fu is stronger than mine despite me learning numerous styles in both the Shenmue games? is it because of his ruthless and ice cold persona? Perhaps it's because his car ran over the neighbourhood cat. All valid reasons but and all count towards my hate. But in classic martial arts movie fashion i have to go with the best cliché and say it's because "he killed my father". in the opening cinematics Lan Di no only kicks you down but kills your father in you and with that the rivalry is set. Unfortunately thanks to Sega being Sega it might be one that never comes to a conclusion so my hate will only burn and become more bitter due to that.

The strangely noble seeming figure in jade green is Lan Di after dealing a deadly blow to my in game father

Miles "Tails" Prower - The Sonic Series

So everybody knows tails at this point. I don't hate Tails with a burning desire to destroy him like I do Lan Di but I have a sizeable dissapointment for what I'd hoped once that Tails might become. Once upon a time there was just Sonic and while Sonic was cool and fresh Sega decided, and rightly so, that he needed a companion on his adventures. So came Tails, a two tailed fox with the awesome ability to fly......except it never really felt that awesome. The character they gave Tails was of a young fanboy who idolizes Sonic with rampant fanboyism but he never seems to grow out of that despite being very capable a mechanic and going on occasional adventures of his own. Decades later he's even worse now. With Sonic have a much greater cast Tails just feels even less significant and overshadowed in many respects by Knuckles or dare I say Shadow the Hedgehog. Maybe I just had over expectations from those younger years and perhaps Sonic Boom may be Tails' redeeming series but I'd be pretty indifferent if Sega sent him on a permanent vacation.......

Maybe my hate for this character is unjustified but it makes no difference. To me it's very real

Well that's hate for one day. Typically I don't tag people but I think I'll make an exception this time. When I think of hating on stuff who better than mellow fellow originalusername. I have a feeling he might have a few good suggestions. Also when I think of hate I think of moderators........because we stamp out hate....not spread it if that's what you were thinking. So I'll tag the most corrupt IGN mods I can think of Bladesymphony and Xbro. Even if your not tagged feel free to embrace the hate in this community project started by Zafarook??? I could be wrong.

]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2015 07:28:13 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/01/15/my-most-hated-video-game-characters#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/01/07/monument-valley-androidios-mini-review
Monument Valley is a mobile puzzle game available on both Android and iOS. If anyone's familiar with the works of Escher or the game Echochrome they'll be instantly familiar with the games concept but if not that's fine too. It's a game made up of levels packed full of optical illusions. Rotating a world or moving a pillar can make new paths accessible where at first glance it seems impossible and this allows you to move Princess Ida to her goal. As you do you'll learn a little more about her and the history of the strange largely vacant world she inhabits.

Sometimes you'll see the solution to puzzles straight away and others it may take some trial and error but either way you'll appreciate how well crafted the different stages are. The developers wanted to make a game that was part art and part game and they succeeded. Such was there confidence they included a screenshot function so anyone could manoeuvre the worlds and and grab a little piece of art for themselves. Each level has a different theme and some new mechanics or skills that must be applied to get through. I did gave a minor issue with rotating a lever but that's down to playing on a small phone so if you have a choice play on a tablet or a phone of 4inches or more.

Above all else this game has a sense of atmosphere and for a moment or two it reminded me of the solitude of ICO's vast castle. While the music isn't spectacular it's purposely simplistic adding a backdrop but not distraction to the events at hand. There are just 10 short levels which will take an hour for most people to complete. The atmosphere, story combined and fantastic level design combine to make something really compelling and surprisingly emotive. For the price tag of $4 it is a expensive considering the market it's in and it's length but I have no hesitation in saying it's worth it. It's a unique experience and a real eye opener into what mobile gaming could become.

]]>Wed, 07 Jan 2015 16:14:31 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2015/01/07/monument-valley-androidios-mini-review#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/17/what-does-retro-gaming-mean-to-me
Gaming is an amazing thing, and something I'm glad all who read this can share. It goes beyond a simpler experience like reading a book or watching a movie and in many ways can have a far deeper impact. It's for this reason that many of us hold in our hearts certain older titles that we played many years ago. How softly the sands of time weather these games over the years is always a matter of great debate, opinion, and in part, luck. The gaming industry relentlessly moves forward and some genres change more than others while a few barely change at all.

When I think of retro gaming, I immediately think of pixelated characters and worlds from my childhood, which goes to show how old I am. I guess for many, the term "retro gaming" will make them think of those earliest games they played. The ones that mattered the most, getting them into gaming and making them value the hobby ever since. For me that means numerous games from older systems all but forgotten but the first system I had of my own would naturally be the focal point of my love of retro games. It was the Sega Master System II, an 8-bit system from Sega with a game built into the console. I started with the amazing Alex the Kid In Miracle Word and later, thanks to a system failure, I had Sonic the Hedgehog. Both games are great, in my very biased opinion, and these were the games I chose to play in preparation for this blog. I played Sonic the Hedgehog through to completion. I didn't rush through the game as much as I normally would. Instead I took a more leisurely approach because this is how I would have originally played the game when it was considerably less familiar.

The stars shine brightly upon a wondrous adventurer (WonderBoy III)

The game looks as good as ever, and the start screen song transports me back to the place where a thousand adventures had been initiated over 20+ years. Graphically it's quite inferior to the Genesis or modern 2D Sonic games but that never mattered. It still looks good in it's own right thanks to the fact that while the game was based on existing characters and levels, it strayed in a different direction than its 16-bit counterpart. There were far fewer enemies and Sonic's top speed was reduced, probably due to hardware limitations but that made it all the more distinct. Some enemies you would encounter only once or twice in the whole game which always meant seeing them was a treat. The end result was a much more focused and technical platformer where other versions felt like adventure games where certain parts would go by in a semi-automated blur. Also while the top speed of Sonic had been lowered, his initial acceleration was quicker giving the players a very different accent to platforming and a different control profile than most other platformers. My cousin would always describe the Master System Sonic as slippery. I think that's a pretty fair description but the controls are tight, and brilliant level design meant with reasonable skill you could control and stop Sonic on the smallest of platforms.

Sound design is pretty respectable but maybe it's not as rich or memorable as some of the grander retro games on more powerful systems...............I think I have to stop myself here because technical assessments of good and great seem far less relevant when I'm looking back or replaying a retro game. I don't play them again, and appreciate or reminisce about them because they are great games, even though many of them are. The truth is, these games are deeply interwoven into parts of my life, some of which I've forgotten.

Enemies look cute in 8-bit but are still just as deadly

When I hear the first twinkly chime made by collecting a gold ring in Sonic it makes me feel a small twinkle of happiness. It reminds me of a stupid phrase an uncle said "Rings are my friend" and how my cousin and I laughed at that while he played the game. I'd played the game multiple times even before having my own system to play it on. As I venture through the first stage glimpses of past explorations come back. I recalled how I'd tested each foe, and each little bump and platform in the different zones, where all the different lives were hidden and where all those pesky chaos emeralds lay. Getting all those pesky Emeralds was a mammoth task. I had worked out where 7 of the 8 were and for over a year wouldn't find the last one on my own. It was chance and effort on my younger sister's part that she had a friend who also could only find 7 of the 8 Chaos Emeralds and attended the same school. He knew where my missing Emerald was and I knew where his was so after my sister organized a very non-secretive exchange of information during school lunchtime, I spoke with the boy who I'd never met before and he described with laser-like accuracy where that pesky Emerald was. I knew he'd spent a lot of time with the game, probably as much as I had. He went away with knowledge of the location of his last emerald, and also my respect. It's these moments and feeling that come back now when I journey towards that Emerald.

I've talked a lot about Sonic because for me Sonic is just “that game” from my childhood. I think we all have one of those games. One we've played not just casually, and probably more than just once. We'll pour hours of time and a large part of who we are into them. Sometimes that's because the game is amazing, or maybe circumstances dictate that's what we needed most in those moments. More than music games have become like a "soundtrack" to my life and every few years another iconic title would be added to that deep vault.

Playing a game out of nostalgia is not a bad thing, but you can't really ever recreate that original experience. But if you're lucky, by playing, discussing, or watching retro games you may find moments locked away and long forgotten. You can bring back memories of the people you played them with, where you were and how you were feeling. It's something far greater than nostalgia. No one can turn back the clock. Life always moves forwards and the experiences of a game exist for only a few minutes amongst the moments they occurred in.

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” Nelson Mandela

I can't recall when I first heard that quote but somehow I'd already learned the lesson the by the time I had. We all change and grow and even on a second playthrough a moment later can't match the first. We're constantly growing and changing for better or worse. Indie games these days are often retro in style and give us opportunities to create new moments in a strangely familiar environment. Playing Guacamelee recently was a pleasure. It was satisfying on so many grounds but one of the best aspects was hiding little secret chests. It's difficult not to think about all those playthroughs of Super Mario World and DuckTales, and all the secrets I managed to find in them and wonder how many more still remain waiting. Finding these and happily taking the extra time to explore isn't something that happens often these days, especially where the task is monotonous and the only reward is a trophy or achievement. Making a game fun first solves many problems and it's something I wish happened more often. I don't think that's just nostalgia or a love of retro gaming but just plain common sense.

There's always time for one more playthrough

Why is retro gaming so precious to me? Well I can't travel back into the past. I can't be the person I was when I first played Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage II, or Tetris. That kid doesn't exist anymore not even deep inside of me. But for a few moments while playing these childhood games, I can recall his memories, his thoughts, his feelings joy and anxiety. There's a heavy dose of nostalgia attached to most retro games for me. Once I have played them again, it's a good opportunity to reflect on how much I've grown and changed. I won't dwell on the past, but I think it's important to remind myself of it from time to time.

I replay very few games these days as there's so much to play and it's hard to find time. No matter how many games there are I'll always make time for Sonic the Hedgehog from the Sega Master System because much of who I once was is locked within that game and will be waiting for me if and when I need it next.

]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:23:35 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/17/what-does-retro-gaming-mean-to-me#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/05/three-of-my-favourite-moments-of-2014
So 2014 has almost come to a conclusion but there are many incredible moments yet to have before the sands of time usher in a new year. I'm always filled with a twinge of sadness seeing another year go by but then I think of all the fantastic memories I've had. Even if they're not as many as I would like I should and will remain grateful for all the moments of happiness large and small that have come my way this year. I wanted to share 3 moments with you.

First a moment from my daily life. It's always been a dream of mine to see a shooting star and as a kid I would dream of such things and marvel at their reports in news and appearances in film and animation. I had never seen one though despite many failed attempts at staying up. I would fall asleep or the great British weather would offer me a classic cloudy sky and not a star in sight. I had failed until this year that is.

This year I saw not one but two shooting stars (metoers) pierce through the night night sky thanks to the annual Perseids Meteor shower and whole lot of luck. I hadn't planned on staying up but I woke up at 4am thinking I heard a noise. Turns out it was nothing but I took the chance to stare out into the cool night sky and barely a minute passed before I saw what I had wanted so long to see. It came and went in a flash. I was elated and I waited a little while longer before I saw another. To be honest if I hadn't seen the second I wouldn't have believed my own eyes. It was a magical moment and a chance one at that.

The second moment I want to share is my favourite gaming moment of this year. Replaying Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Genesis) with a friend. I recalled it was hard but it was still surprisingly hard at times. If I hadn't a friend there to laugh of the crushing moments I surely would have quit and played something else. Likely my friend would have done the same. Ghouls 'n Ghosts is not a two player game and it's not often that I'd choose to play a single player game over an actual two player game. But this was a challenge we'd both faced before and were happy to try again. It took around 3 hours to beat the game and boss featured below was by far the most frustrating. Uncounted lives were lost and time spent trying to take it down but the victory over it would come and it would feel epic.

Playing and spending time with friends is always a privilege. Playing video games with old friends and talking nonsense long into the small hours of the night is something that doesn't happen nearly enough as you get older. It's important to make the most of those times when they arrive. Even if that means replaying a nemesis like game from your childhood together.

Lastly I wanted to share a moment from MyIGN. It's hard to pick just one and I've spoken of many of the good things that have happened here in the past. Even in the year I've been here I've seen much change. I've been really surprised by the quality of writing in some of the blogs I've come across. It's something inspiring but what's greater is community which I never really understood last year. The simple fact that people will comment and debate ardently but almost always do so respectfully even in disagreement still fills me with much satisfaction and calm. It's something that does happen on articles but not nearly enough. If I can only pick one selfish moment I'd choose a single comment on this blog. What really touched me was that they registered just to make that comment. To this day they have no other comments made and how they found a blog about a Korean Drama they liked on MyIGN is a mystery but sometimes chance works in our favour.

The best moments often happen because of chance decisions. A nice surprise is somehow always more enjoyable than a pre-planned treat. Who knows what 2015 will hold for any of us. I hope it brings many a surprise and that chance will deliver at least a few nice moments for all of us.

If you have three moments you'd love to share from general life, gaming and MyIGN? Please share one or more of them in a blog or in the comments below.

]]>Fri, 05 Dec 2014 06:23:14 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/05/three-of-my-favourite-moments-of-2014#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/03/design-your-own-new-3ds-contest
So I haven't blogged much at all of late but hopefully this will get me back into the swing of things. I've been wanting to do a community project for sometime but I've not quite worked out what that would be. I have an idea but there's still a lot development needed. So I decided to make this contest. Sadly their are no planned prizes....boooooooo! I know, I know but that may change if my lottery numbers come up

So as soon as the New 3DS was announced I know that the changeable faceplates was something I'd personally really like. Especially in the knowledge that 3rd party companies would design fantastic unofficial ones and possible even customised ones. So that's where this idea came from. To design your own New 3DS. It could feature anything you want like your name, face, favourite boy band. There are no wrong answers. I want you to design something you'd like though if you want to make something others that will certainly help your chances of winning.

The competition will be decided by a community vote. If there are 10 or more entries the vote may be split into two rounds. As long as there's two participants I'll create a vote blog and if there's only one they win by default

Now your probably thinking this is super difficult but alas much of the work has been done already. I've taken both the black and white New 3DS and removed the sections where the faceplates are so all you have to do is find or make to images to go in the top and bottom slots, line them up and copy the templates on top of them. Or you could draw directly onto them which is fine two.

I used paint.net (http://www.getpaint.net/) which is a free app from here. It's a very simple application, while not as feature rich as GIMP or Photoshop, is intuitive to use thanks to it's similarities to Microsoft paint. The reason I used this app was because it offers the ability to use layers. What this means is I can drawn on one layer without altering the template. If that makes no sense then no matter. You can use whatever programs you want and if you have issues don't hesitate on asking for help.

So I mocked up a couple of examples using free wallpapers on the internet. I particularly like the white Okami since I'm playing that currently and the art in that game is stunning. All the links to the images are also provided below so all credit to the respective creators

I'm really interested to see what design you guys will come up with whether they are Nintendo themed or otherwise. Feel free to take as much or as little time as you like on your project. When your done just create a simple blog and feel free to give any information on the images used or the themes you were going for.

Competition will run till the end of the month Christmas day and at some point after that a vote can be held. Remember this is just for fun so no worries if your designs aren't masterpieces I'd still love to see them. Good luck guys.

]]>Wed, 03 Dec 2014 13:13:02 -0800Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/12/03/design-your-own-new-3ds-contest#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/10/23/a-picture-not-so-perfectbut-who-cares
We take photos now more than ever and most of us have at least one device that can take snaps. I've had the idea in mind of taking more photos but somehow I never do other than special occasions. The camera on my phone is pretty suspect and unreliable but thankfully I do have a digital camera. It's many a year old now but still serves it's purpose. I definitely need to do a better job of carrying it around and keeping an eye out for interesting and unique things.

The truth is even if you don't have a good camera you can still take great photos and enjoy photography. The first camera phones I had were a vehicle into capturing the landscapes of different places I came across. Those old pixilated images served as a visual diary at a time where I didn't write at all. While the images may be blurry they're still pretty priceless to me.

This really a blog just to share some a couple of photos I've taken in the past. Some are better than others in terms of quality and subject but I feel like I should share

This picture was taken on old Nokia camera phone and from a moving boat. The sun was setting behind the mountains around Loch Ness and the day was freezing cold. In spite of a shaky hand, poor camera and restricted point from which to take the picture i still happy i captured that moment. Sure it's a little blurry and out of focus but i've taken worse for sure.

So funny story, i accidentally kicked a hedgehog. This picture was taken with Sony Ericson K810 camera which has a great flash. The picture was taken on a narrow path between two streets. It's unlit and unless there's full moon it's impossible to see where your feet land. He must have seen me coming and curled up. Luckily i didn't step on him and only really nudged him slightly. it was a very odd sensation and for that reason i stopped to try and see what it was. The little hedgehog was fine and had gone when i returned shortly after.

This is one of the few times i did carry my camera around looking for something to capture. Taken in Manchester I was oriignally just trying to get a picture of the water feature when a couple of kids decides to cycle through it. If anything i would have been better lowering the camera and getting a little more background into the shot. The picture below is a little better.

Lastly one of of my favourite things i saw in Wales. A jackdaw (part of the crow family) sitting and looking at the court below in a castle ruins. I remember wondering if these scavenger birds had always lived here and were the last real residents of this castle fort. I wish i could have gotten a more crisp picture but the gale force winds meant it was impossible to hold the camera steady.

I have some other random photo's i might share on another blog but for now I'll leave it at this. Pretty much all of us have a camera of some short. Why not use it more often. Remember not every picture needs to be amazing just taking and capturing those moments is the most important thing What I'm really hoping is some of you guys will share some random photos of places and things you've come across and inspire me to take more and better pictures.

If you have any cool photos or tips you'd like to share make a blog or share them in the comments below.

For the sake of time I'm not going to proof read this blog so apologies in advance for any errors.

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Thu, 23 Oct 2014 16:36:44 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/10/23/a-picture-not-so-perfectbut-who-cares#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/09/15/gaming-gifts-freedom-and-expression
Life can pose many challenges both large and small. Of the smaller challenges we face on a daily basis I want to look at one in particular. Being yourself can feel like the most difficult of of things during certain moments though it sounds simple enough. We're surrounded by countless external influences like faith, culture, media and peer pressure to name just a few. Some of these influences reach deep and make up who and what we are but other influences will often control the way we act and conduct ourselves when we don't necessarily agree. We conform because that's what is expected of us and is usually by default our course of action.

Gaming offers many things to a player that generate different types of enjoyment. One of the things I value most. is games that allow a player to truly express themselves. That can manifest itself in different ways through appearance or actions in differing circumstances. Of course games have rules and limits that may seem more rigid but certain aspects may offer a freedom than is hard to come by in real every day life.

I've seen the video and quote above a number of times. The truth is we play and compete with our heads more than our hearts. In games where a player feels comfortable either because failure doesn't matter or is improbable then a player is more likely to take the chance to express themselves. Using weaker or different weapons, switching strategies or just goofing around. It's only when failure becomes less relevant does player start to feel freedom. Kingdoms of Amalur was greatexample of that for me. The story never forced me forward and I could reset and change my characters skills on a whim. The combat was fluid meaning I could switch from pure efficiency to flashy over elaborate styles of combat as and when I felt like it. Even if I devoted a lifetime to learning real life swordsmanship I could never come close to doing what I can in Amalur.

The world is huge, the galaxy and universe even more so. It's impossible to see or do half the things we'd like in a lifetime. We're not all blessed with the physical capabilities, time or finances to go out and live the dreams we may have. For some it's flying planes, others enjoy creating theme parks but me the one of the best things is exploration. Thankfully games allow for all these things on an incredible level. Every game is a journey into the unknown. But adventure and RPG games in particular offer amazing worlds to traverse and discover. For this I loved Xenoblade Chronicles. I could wander around to discovering new creatures and places. I would gaze upon green fields looking and wondering what awaited beyond the horizon. When I saw the trailer for Zelda for WiiU earlier this year I felt much same as well as relieved. Visiting Hyrule however it manifests itself is always a pleasure and knowing another journey is ahead is blessing.

In extreme cases we may live in places where culture, religion and politics affect how free we are to express our views on many things openly. Issues surrounding race, sexuality and gender can still cause a negative response even the most developed countries. These are all things a person doesn't choose to be and bringing them up especially in the case of sexuality is a risk not everyone is willing or ready to take. When games offer the chance to create characters that represent who a person is it offers the player the opportunity to represent themselves within a game rather than them becoming someone pre-made in anothers image. Some games offer impactful choices affecting the story like the Mass Effect and Fable games while others offer robust character customisation meaning a player can look and be the way they see themselves in their own mind. While many gamers don't wanted forced agendas pushed into their beloved games it's important to remember that options to be different allow a more inclusiveness for everyone no matter whether you need or use the features to express yourself or not.

Few of us are blessed with the elite or superhuman abilities characters in games often have. There are many people who have disabilities meaning they can't do things an average person takes for granted. Running, walking or even catching a ball maybe not be possible but thankfully can be realised through games in a virtual world. It doesn't matter if it's a realistic representation like in Fifa or something far less realistic like Wii Sports. All games offer something priceless on to anyone with limited physical capabilities. Seeing anyone laugh and play because of video games is a privilege and joy but experiencing the same with someone who has a disability is a greater privilege yet. The world is unfair. It didn't create us all equal or treat us all equally but while we game we all are. As long as player can manipulate a controller they can enter another world where we all sit on an equal playing field. I'm happy those experiences exist now where a few decades ago they didn't and that more people can enjoy games and express themselves in worlds that are much fairer than our own.

I value simple direct people a lot. Those people who just are themselves no matter what. It's truly a rare thing but a beautiful one. Even if their opinion, views or actions disagree with my own I still appreciate the freedom they have either by ignorance or strength of character. I don't believe, as the over-thinker I've always been, I'll ever have that quality of finding true freedom in the way I act. There's a filter that makes me think twice before acting or speaking. That's a good thing because it means people understand what my feelings or intent are better than if I just acted out in the moments on emotion. Video games while sometimes complicated are simpler than real life. Actions are received and consequences far more predictable. Or maybe it's just that the consequences are far less significant that telling factor. Whatever the truth I know I'm extremely grateful that games grant the freedom to all who play them to be themselves. They don't judge you first or have expectations of what you should and shouldn't do. On that front we might all be better having the same approach with each other.

So MyIGN, what games give you the greatest sense of freedom to be expressive?

Thanks to youtuber luxdrag0N for use of his video to make the Amalur gif

]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2014 11:12:27 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/09/15/gaming-gifts-freedom-and-expression#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/09/06/2176
So I've been tagged for Blackarachnids community project encouraging us to write about our different gaming preferences. I was tagged twice by the great people below. Click on the avatars below to load up their blogs.

hampsonatinggaming

Bladesymphony

I've been playing video games for the best part of 3 decades and over that time gaming has changed radically and not only have my tastes and preferences evolved. Even within a console generation we can experience a game that completely changes our perception of a genre and make us want more or call time on it that temporarily.

Platforms don't matter. There are great games to be found on most systems and as long as I have enough to play I'm happy. Of course some systems are more reliable than others, some have better controllers and some have larger game libraries. They're all considerations but I haven't followed a pattern in consoles I've owned other than Nintendo handhelds,

Action Adventure

Whether it comes in an RPG guise or not it doesn't matter. Just give me a cool world to explore and a few tools to get me started. I've loved these games from an early age. The capture the adventurer spirit, offer a pursuit of of greater skills and abilities and a world rich enough to be immersed in.

Notable Franchises: Wonder Boy, Zelda, Kingdoms of Amalur

Sports

I love sports. I was never sporty as a youth but I enjoyed sports games. I've always loved football games, pool and golf games. Luckily I would be able to do all these things in real life in due course but no matter the time or platform all three of these game types always appeal to me.

Notable Franchises

Football: Sensible Soccer, Fifa, Pro Evolution Soccer

Pool: Side Pocket, Yahoo Pool, Mini Clip 8-ball pool

Golf: Tiger Woods, Pangya Fantasy Golf, Super Stickman Golf

I play lots of different genres. There have been years when I have gotten into RTS games on PC because I just got a PC at the time and finally got into FPS because I played Call of Duty at a friends house. They all make up my gaming history and apart from the above will likely always be in flux. I hear too often people lament the current state of gaming but the library of games has never been bigger than it has now. If you feel like there are no games to play then you need to start stepping outside your comfort zone and trying something new. Take a risk on an older title and give it a chance. Ratings, prestige, and the opinions of others should really mean nothing in comparison to your own enjoyment of a game. If there's ever a time to be selfish it's when your choosing and enjoying a game.

Happy Gaming MyIGN!

In classic fashion I refuse to tag anyone

If you want to write similar blog go for it and if not that's cool too ^_^

First and foremost I thank everyone who voted not just for me in general. Everyone has a vote and while last week was an exception the Comm Nom should be used to promote as many members both new and old who deserve the attention. Even if they don't win seeing their names appear on the list will give other people more reason to check out their work. And if you do win you sure as hell better stick around or else......or else the ghosts of MyIGNers passed will haunt you forever!!!!

Winning the Comm Nom originally felt a little undeserved, especially ahead others at the time that I felt were more deserving. Thankfully those people earned their spotlight in due course. I would in contribute and write enough to justify to myself that getting the spotlight had been fair. Due to my self doubt it would take me a while but I would get there in the end. And then this happens and I get voted for again. Son of a B****H!!! I'm just kidding, though it does feel kind of awkward. I'm someone more comfortable in the shadows than the spotlight but I do genuinely appreciate the good will and respect people have given. I'll do my best to earn this too in the time to come no matter how long it takes.

I was voted Comm Nom again? Yeah.!!! Feels good if a little strange

I want whatever time I commit her to have some meaning outside of my own personal satisfaction. I still feel like the "new kid" here fairly often and its important for me not to forget that feeling. There will always be a stream of newcomers, some of whom will become disheartened and leave before ever expressing themselves as purely and honestly than they would like. We try to share our thoughts and feelings but sometimes it takes the knowledge that a respectful audience awaits for us to truly articulate our thoughts. That and a little practice. We're a welcoming community by enlarge and its something I think that we've improved upon during my time here. We'll hopefully endeavour to welcome new members and help them get started. Offering them advice and constructive feedback to help them overcome quicker any issues we may have had.

Commenting on blogs I read is probably my most significant contribution here. I love sharing my opinions with like minded people but I also love hearing thoughts of those that disagree with me. Different opinions and passionate debate make our community vibrant and rich. Even if I can't embrace certain points of view as my own, I can still respect and hopefully understand the person making them a little better as a result.

Fate or coincidence?

The commenting culture on the main site, like all large online communities, has it's problems. It was the reason I left IGN briefly last year and even requested my account to be closed. I wrote a email, brief as it was, to Peer Schneider explaining why I wanted my account removed. I didn't expect any response to such small matter from the Senior Vice President of Content Publishing but I was in for a surprise. He replied in a short email stating they were actively trying to tackle the issue and coincidentally said the following

“I've found conversations on IGN blogs, for example, to be positive and constructive“Peer Schneider

It's something I didn't pay that much attention at the time. I never would have guessed back then that I'd be back on IGN trying to fix the problem in the comments sections and be part of the blogging community too. No matter how hectic moderating gets I'll always try and read a few blogs. MyIGN is a little oasis and one I hope more people will be able to enjoy in the future.

Even upon my return I would keep my comments to a minimum initially. But one fateful day I would finish Majora's Mask and decide to write what was and is a crappy blog. It got a couple of comments and that felt like a million. It made my day and cemented my willingness to engage others in the community. That's the power and influence of a simple comment. I wonder how many comment-less blogs I would have endured before giving up? Not many, I'm sure.

Now here I am 9 later months having received the Community Spotlight, having two blogs hit the front-page and with 166 followers. A lot is made of follower counts but like the great MyIGN member Bowser Claws said it's not really that important. Blogging is about sharing and communicating your knowledge and opinions and not the pursuit of fame or infamy. Having a billion followers doesn't guarantee you'll have more that one comment on your blog. Being active and sharing your thoughts respectfully will not only mean people are more likely to read your blogs but also help build a few friendships along the way. Never forget to reach out beyond your own social circles. No matter how many great people you know one more is always better.

The main purpose of this blog was to say thank you for all your support, reading my blogs whether you comment or not, voting and more importantly making this community what it is today. When I see great writing, fun ideas and quality debate I feel inspired and privelaged to be part of it. It makes me want to improve, be better and well be more like all of you. MyIGN continues to evolve and it's certainly better than it was when I started. If we keep improving and keep growing then I'm sure future generations MyIGNers will be able to say the same. I've heard some people say the best days of MyIGN are long gone but I firmly disagree. In my mind those days are yet to come and hopefully I'll be part of a community that keeps pushing itself forward.

With love and respect,

Abdul Mukith (mk1982)

]]>Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:01:10 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/28/a-myign-comm-nom-thank-you-letter#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/24/my-top-10-favourite-studio-ghibli-movies
Remember this is MY OPINION and not a list of the best or critically acclaimed Ghibli movies. I'll keep the descriptions brief and not include anything you wouldn't see on the back of the DVD case. I'll keep this list brief but try and include a reason why I rate these movies.

**Minor Spoilers May Follow Especially In Trailers**

10. Pom Poko

This move was directed by Isao Takahata and released in 1994. It features a population of Tanooki whose forest homeland is being destroyed and replaced with urban areas. To protect their lands the tanooki unite in hope of stemming the encroachment of man.

I love this movie. It made the top ten because it showcases so much of Japan including some folklore about animals and the powers they have. The tanooki all have different personalities and their capers are both heartening and hilarious. The environmental aspect of the movie is the main theme but it doesn't overwhelm the personalities and the stories of the characters on show.

9. The Cat Returns

Directed by Hiroyuki Morita and released in 2002. An epic adventure triggered by chance or maybe fate. A schoolgirl rushes the aid of a cat that is crossing the road and about to be run over. What follows would take a lot of explaining but talking cats and cat kingdom are both involved.

This movie celebrates cats and cat mythology like no other. It's story is grand and adventurous but though may not be that meaningful long term. Still some stories are fun first and this one is certainly fun, filled with cats of all shapes, sizes and character. Also did I mention it has cats?

8. Spirited Away

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 2001. A tale of girl who stumbled into a world ruled by spirits, gods and monsters. Her parents who were with her are cursed and turned into pigs. Until she can find a way to return them normal she must live, work and survive in this new and alien world.

This is probably the most well known Ghibli anime in the West thanks to it winning an Oscar in 2003. It's beautifully animated and the voice acting on both the English and Japanese versions are great. The world created is so rich with details and characters and especially the monsters are inspired by different Asian myths.

7. Kiki's Delivery Service

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1989. A coming of age story about a young witch learning her craft and finding her place in the world. Accompanied by a talking black and a broom she flies to coastal town where she settles and finds work making deliveries for a local bakery.

You may be surprised to see this move placed higher than some others and I'm a little surprised too. But my reason for it's placing is because it encapsulates so much of what both Ghibli and in particular Miyazaki is. Dealing with magic, troubles and joy of youth while incorporating classic aspects like flying, cats and personal growth. The story is balanced and well rounded.

6. Princess Mononoke

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1996. A young warrior (Ashitaka) kills a beast threatening his village and is marked by a curse. Advised to head west from where the beast originated the boy he sets off in search for a cure and a great forest spirit that may be able to help him. Sadly conflict between humans, animals and spirits rages and the boy is compelled to investigate and help where he can.

This move is a masterpiece. It could have easily been number 1. It's huge in scope dealing with personal dramas as well as the great problem of environment versus human progress. There are many different antagonists and it's up to you to judge which is in the right and wrong. It's so well written and one of the best examples of how hand drawn animation can be improved with minor computerised enhancements and without ruining the affect.

5. Arrietty aka The Secret World of Arrietty

Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi released in 2010. A modern retelling of a classic tale of tiny human like beings called Borrowers that live in homes hidden. This story follows the family of Borrowers and the daily struggles they face surviving amongst humans and all other creatures that are far larger than them.

I've always loved the Borrowers and this version is as good as the others on many levels. The animations are perhaps the most stunning of any Ghibli movie and the accompanying movie is just as glorious. In spite of the new setting and medium the borrowers and Arrietty are as charming as ever.

4. Nausicaa – Valley of the Wind

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1984. The story follows young princess (Nausicaa) and her of dealing with a aggressive rival kingdom as well as a polluted forest containing giant insects. It's a constant struggle between human societies as well as their appreciation of nature and tolerance of nature.

While Princess Mononoke might be better animated having used more modern technology this is still a fantastic. Each and every frame of animation was hand drawn lovingly and looks great despite it's age. Where Ashitaka was finding understanding of the environment and humanity Nausicaa is already connected to the world on a deeper level and her journey is about finding a way to create balance. She's very much Avatar-esque before that show was ever created and her glider bears more than a passing resemblance to that which Aang uses.

3. My Neighbour Totoro

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1988. A slice of life story about a two young girls moving to the country in Japan with their father. Along the way they meet new neighbours and friends both human and otherwise.

Often when asked I say Totoro is the best of all Ghibli movies. Personally I think it's perfect. It captures all the wonderment children have as well as their fears and anxieties when in unfamiliar surroundings. While it may come across childish I can't criticize for that but only praise it. It also features the greatest of anime icons that now adorns the start of every Ghibli movie, Totoro. So why wasn't in number 1? Read on to find out.

2. Grave of the Fireflies

Directed by Isao Takahata and released in 1988. Released as a double bill of movies in Japan alongside “My Neighbour Totoro” it follows a young boy looking after his younger sister in Japan during the second world war and is based on a novel by the same name.

It won't win any prizes for beauty but its needless for a movie about war be picturesque so long as it's well animated. Only two animations have ever brought me close to tears and this was one of them. I don't remember if I cried only that I haven't had the heart to revisit the movie even after all these years. The story is heartfelt and sincere and while it may not set off at a great pace it's a worthwhile and rewarding experience. The emotion and memory stays with me even today.

1. Laputa - Castle in the Sky

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 1986. A story following an orphaned girl named Sheeta with a mysterious relic escaping her captors. Along with her new found friend Pazu she ventures off to unravel the mystery of the relic and the legend of a floating castle in the sky.

This move has a special place in my heart. It's one of the very earliest memories I have of anime long before I could ever really understand the story. Their are lots of strong friendships throughout the Ghibli movies but the bond between Pazu and Sheeta is as strong as any. The iconic floating island kingdom would last long in the memory and for many years I would wonder what might be hidden in the real clouds in the sky. So many floating islands were spawned as a result of this move and it's epic story alone is worthy of a place on this list but it's lasting impact on anime and myself is why I placed it as number 1.

This list changes almost every time I attempted to write it so i've qualms if you disagree because to be honest I do too. Many great movies didn't make the list and if your favourites didn't you can always let me know in the comments below.

]]>Sun, 24 Aug 2014 12:46:19 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/24/my-top-10-favourite-studio-ghibli-movies#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/13/brains-before-brawn-a-submission-for-nerdexps-community-project
Over a week ago challenge was set by fellow blogger and MyIGN community member NerdExp. The challenge was to write about someone who opts to think first and act later from entertainment mediums. The type of character that often wins a battle before a first blow is struck and can slice through all confusion of manic situations with crystal clarity. Often these people are designed weak because to have brains and brawn would be too much for any superhero or Villain to come up against. In many cases it's the weaknesses that makes them quirky, loveable and unique.

Many great choices have been made so far and now it's time for me add a few new contenders into the fray. One from anime and one from a jdrama (Japanese live action TV show).

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

Jimmy Kudo

Seems like many people think of Dragon ball, Naruto or One Piece as being the longest running animes of their type. There is one anime series that towers above the rest with a whopping 749 episodes so far and it's still going. Hmm, might be too late for me to catch up on all those episodes. The anime is of course Detective Conan.

The main protagonist Jimmy Kudo is a high school student. Son of a successful fiction writer, he dreams of being the greatest detective and is inspired by the character of Sherlock Holmes. He has a keen eye for observation, great memory and razor sharp intellect . Things he shares all the hallmarks of a classic detective with the quirk of being just a lot younger. While not officially a detective because he's still a kid his word and opinions carry and command respect especially by the hapless police force. He has some athletic ability but fighting isn't one of them and this limited ability only gets lessened after the first episode. Why?....well now that would be telling.

Yukawa Manabu aka Detective Galileo

You thought I was done writing about Asian dramas, sadly not. I haven't watched many of late but I'll sneak this rather obscure entry into my blog to start a comeback. The show is titled Galileo after the nickname of the lead character. An associate university professor specialising in physics who's intelligence and reasoning is so extra-ordinary the local police often request his help. Galileo is an oddball character. For all looks, talents (including sport) and intelligence he holds, he cares nothing for socialising or pays little attention to normal human interactions. He lives in science mysteries and he lives to solve those great scientific problems. Only if a case is presented in front of him that has unusual and challenging will he stop for a moment. If it's not worth of his time then asking for his help is an exercise in futility. While he has decent physical strength and skill he'll never solve a problem with physical strength where a more elegant intelligent solution can be reached and for that reason alone I chose him for this blog.

The TV show itself isn't great other than a few interesting cases. Galileo is far too smart and the show too formulaic. It is still enjoyable because you can work some cases out from the clues on screen even with a basic understanding of physics and logic (perfect for a geek like me). The TV show did have a movie special which I think is brilliant because it was a mystery designed brilliantly with Galileo finally meeting someone of equal intelligence and cunning. What makes it a great movie is the warmth and complex feelings and motivations by the rest of the cast bringing much needed contrast to Galileo's many idiosyncrasies.

So those were my choices for NerdExp's community challenge. Why not write your own blog about which characters from entertainment media you think fit into the brains before brawn style.

As always, thanks for reading

]]>Wed, 13 Aug 2014 12:00:56 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/13/brains-before-brawn-a-submission-for-nerdexps-community-project#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/11/myign-blog-of-the-week-needs-your-support
Blog Of The Week is rolling on with moderate pace but it needs your support MyIGN. I think the initiative is great as it helps promote some of the best blogs each week and inspires people to write not just frequently but to the best of their abilities. There's also the good chance that winning blogs may be featured on the front page. But it seems like nominations are offered by a mostly users over the last few months since it's inauguration. Lost_In_Translation has asked for feedback but I thought i'd ask again here in hopes of getting different peoples opinions who may not be around on Fridays as much.

I want to ask everyone what their personal thoughts are on “Blog Of The Week”.

Do you know what it is?

Have you nominated a blog before?

If you don't care for it, why not?

What changes would you like made?

Feel free to speak openly in the comments below. All opinions or questions are welcome. Don't hold back because others probably have the same

Some great submissions including blogs from some long term members and many from lesser known names. Old or new these guys are worth remembering. Check out there blogs and watch out for the results on Friday to see if your personal favourite is crowned "MyIGN Blog of the Week!"

Are you on this list? Is your favourite blog on this list? Please vote for your favourites in the future or you can second nominations if your favourite is already listed. It shows your support for the blog and the "Blog of the Week" intiative. While It's not a popularity contest participation matters so even if your just up-voting your favourite it all counts.

Writing here has really helped me improve my vocabulary although my spelling and grammar is often pretty bad outside of blogs. When i read blogs from other great folk I always think to myself can I write as well as this and what can i learn from this writer. So write for the fun of writing and the satisfaction it brings and once writing becomes a habbit try to improve a little at a time. If you need help you can always reach out to community. May the writing gods treat you well good people of MyIGN!

So that's all for this week. I'll probably do one of these every Monday for the next few weeks just so people can catch the nominations if they missed them and offer any feedback.

]]>Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:36:31 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/08/11/myign-blog-of-the-week-needs-your-support#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/07/29/movies-from-distant-lands-a-3-jackie-chan
This series of blogs will focus on promoting some of the best "foreign" or non-English language movies. A few will be well known but others may prove to be long hidden gems. It doesn't matter if you watch a dubbed or subtitled version as long as you enjoy the experience. If modern Western cinema's storytelling and sequelitis syndrome is wearing you down, you've come to the right place.

This week I've decided to pick movies all featured the legend that is Jackie Chan who made his first movie appearance way back in 1962. A man who's popularised martial arts movies all over the world and one of the few Asian martial artists to break into the mainstream western culture. He's not just a great fighter but a great actor.

Rush Hour 2

The best of Chan's Hollywood movies for a number of reasons. Building on the success of the first movie this one is funnier, better written and has bigger and better action scenes. Also the fact it was filmed both in Hong Kong and the US really added value to the clash of cultures aspect that franchise plays on. Chris Tucker is annoying and loveable and plays his part in making the movie what it is. A must watch for all comedy and Chan fans.

Drunken Master (1978)

This movie is a classic. There's a phrase in boxing “styles make fights great” and that is true for martial arts movies too. I've always loved different styles and hated the modern MMA and hybrid styles used in many new action movies. This movie saw Jackie Chan approaching his peak. He's lean and ripped at the age of 24 and performs a range of styles excellently aided by the choreography of Yuen Woo Ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). It really is a feast for the eyes for anyone who loves martial arts and is probably the best showcase of the often mimicked drunken fist style of kung fu.

The Legend of The Drunken Master (1994)

Like most of the classic Jackie Chan kung fu movies this one features a real mish mash of comedy, choreography, action and stunts. What's surprising is that Chan was 40 by the time this movie released and showed no signs of slowing or pulling his punches. The story certainly isn't the most original but the quirkiness of the writing is fantastic even when more than a little random. You can be sure that kung fu featured is top notch.

Police Story (1985)

I'm not sure there'll ever be another actor willing to commit himself so often over a long period of time, in the pursuit of greatness on the big screen. Some of stunts performed in this movie are ludicrous not just by Jackie Chan but the rest of the cast and stunt actors. This isn't a kung fu movie but a great cop action movie. The story is interesting while never too complex but that isn't the focus. The good acting performances are notable but to be fair everything is overshadowed by the action. One stunt in particular would mean chan getting frictions burns, electrocuted and falling through panes of glass. Why? Jackie Chan says why not!!!

Spiritual Kung Fu (1978)

Okay this one isn't going to win any critical awards but I love it none the less. It's goofy, features several training montages and the story hinges upon Jackie Chan learning secret kung fu techniques from 5 ghostly spirits. Yeah, you read that right! You really couldn't make that stuff up. Still it's fun, entertaining and features many snippets on Chinese culture. Several different classical Shaolin styles are showcased but none in much detail or at least as much detail as I would like. This move is fun and that's all that you need to know. Might be a tough one to track down unfortunately but If you get the chance watch it with an open mind and I'm sure you'll love it too.

Ending with a montage!

I was going to add a fifth movie or even more since they're all awesome. Even the ones with bad dialogue, dubbing and weak story are still redeemed by Jackie Chan's athletic and comedic efforts. The exception to these are his most recent modern movies like the Tuxedo or the Medallion but lets just ignore those altogether.

The last video is a must watch for any fans. It's a compilation of some of his best stunts. It's only a snapshot of his total work but sums up the relentless pursuit to entertain fans by giving them the most realistic action scenes. It really showcases that there is and only ever will be one Jackie Chan.

As always, thanks for reading!

If you want to check out my previous blogs including the first of this series check out my blog archive.

]]>Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:11:56 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/07/29/movies-from-distant-lands-a-3-jackie-chan#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/07/24/community-blog-the-slow-esports-evolution
I never really heard of competitive gaming till the 90s. Before then competitions were all about beating the high scores of games at home or in an arcade or battling it out in a straight up versus match. It was a very localised competition and we only competed for personal pride and kudos amongst our very small social circles. Something important happened in the 90s which would bring forth the realisation of what eSports was long before it would ever get that tragic title. Programs would air on television about video games and these weren't just shows for children as some would air late at night while others much earlier. They would offer a window in the gaming that I couldn't grasp from just magazine article and my personal experiences alone.

The closest I've gotten to eSports is sports in games

GamesMaster was my favourite of the video game shows because it featured games, cheats and tips but importantly showed gamers taking on video game challenges and participating in competitive matches. This was pretty mind blowing. People meeting up just to play games and prove who's best in front of a crowd and television audience. It doesn't matter that the only prizes were crappy trophies because the prestige of winning on television was no doubt huge for all those who took part. One of my favourite episodes featured a Japanese competitive gamer called Tetsujin who specialised in Virtua Fighter. He was invited on to the show to face off against 100 opponents many who were just kids but others were far better at the game. He eventually won all 100 matches despite being challenged to win only 90. I was amazed but such competitive gaming wouldn't wouldn't shown too long as the late 90s and 00s came these shows largely disappeared and with it my curiosity of what competitive gaming was and could be.

At around the same time LAN parties and other competitive events would happen but these were never on television and the only people watching were organisers and players. It wouldn't be until the internet took off that gamers from all over the world could connect and really get an idea of what the best players were like.

Assessing The Current Climate

eSports have never been more popular and in the Eastern Asiatic countries they've really become part of the mainstream which is pretty amazing. But on closer inspection certain genres like MOBAs and RTS games are those that audiences have taken too with other genres that left in the shadows. In the rest of the world FPS and fighting games are far more popular games to watch perhaps because they're simpler and can reach a broader audience. There's certainly a fragmentation of interest not so much from players but spectators and with them no sport can succeed.

Without out doubt there's never been a time to be a professional gamer. Prize purses are bigger than ever and companies are willing to sponsor teams and individuals. There's constant access to online competitions online so viewers from around the world can watch either live or recorded. Sounds great, right? Well it is but it's far from what it could be. eSports and professional games are still a very small niche for a hobby that's only recently becoming popularised amongst a broad audience. Ideally eSports should be competitions where the best gamers from all around the world compete against each other. Competition is and always should be at the heart of all professional games and “the show” should come second. As a side effect they should promote the games on show which hopefully brings in new fans not just to those games but the gaming hobby as a whole.

A Vision Of The Future

Currently the system is pretty broken. Prize funds are stacked too heavily towards the top. The few winners get most of the money leaving others scrape by through donations, sponsorship and even part time jobs. Having headline prizes is great from a marketing perspective but it doesn't nurture talent particularly at the lower levels. How would I counter this? I'd make sure tournament organisers held smaller regional events worldwide with small prizes regularly for anyone to enter within a certain region. Not only would it distribute funds at a grass roots level but it would raise interest in competitive gaming as a legitimate endeavour.

Every great sport needs it's icons

A beneficial side effect of those competitions would be the creation of local heroes. While some eSports legends have already been created, most are not that familiar to the masses outside their own countries. We all need heroes and stars to follow and aspire to be like in any good sport. We'll know that eSports has made it once one of those personalities becomes recognisable outside of the gaming community. Maybe this comes in time but as professional gamers have such short careers it can be difficult to build a reputation or even invest time to improve public status. Better personalities and promotions means more sponsorship and interest coming into eSports. Currently we have many personalities on YouTube that play video games and these people are far more recognisable to a wider audiences than most professional gamers. That's a problem that must be solved if we want eSports to take the next step up.

My last point is that all the different factions, organisations and investors all have different focuses and agenda. Collaboration doesn't need to happen but if it did it could be extraordinary. What if there was an eSports Olympics. It would be held every 3 or 4 years with events covering genres from FPS to RTS and events including speed runs and other skill based categories. While the games that would be played would have to be announced well beforehand it would generate a lot of interest worldwide especially as national pride would be on the line along with prize money and prestige. It would also mean regulations and uniformity. Watching the documentary “Free to play” (watch it below) I noticed one team had a separate member calling out strategies and directions which seemed unfair especially as some teams don't have the funds to have additional members travel with them across the world. I really think an eSports Olympics would be the dream even all gaming fans could enjoy. It would create a a platform worthy of the players that play the games and unite audiences on a single event and long term goal. It would put gaming and professional gamers first and that is something I'm far more passionate about the actual eSports themselves.

Is this a likely thing. No, sadly not in the near future. The road to current status quo has taken over two decades and I really hope it doesn't take as long for the genre to mature into what I hope it could be.

So MyIGN, tell me what your hopes for eSports are? Even if you hate them let me know in the comments below.

Anger is a terrible thing. We all have the capability to be filled with pure fury and overwhelming rage. How that manifests itself in our physical actions and how quickly it dissipates makes us uniquely who we are. While we may share the same ideals or philosophies we often react in different ways, sometimes with subtle or large differences. Even the best of us err sometimes and react in ways that would seem like an over-reaction or or just simply wrong during calmer times. Strong emotions often become the bane of rational thought.

I'll be first to admit that I'm not perfect. In fact I'd assess myself quite poorly as a character in reference to how I've dealt with my own emotions over the years. To be fair I'm pretty calm and sedate almost all the time but now and then something will happen that will annoy and frustrate me beyond what I would normally consider it should. Such events never happen around strangers. It's with the people closest to me that I often feel the most frustrated be they family or friends. If someone has earned my respect, my love or is family I tend to build up certain expectations from my experiences of them. Sometimes these are little more than basic common courtesies. When they act in a way that's inconsiderate or malicious around me I feel genuinely feel hurt and disappointed. I have a tough time dismissing these moments instantly and jus moving on. Often I just need to ask why? While it's not always a productive question it does offer me the understanding I need as well as piece of mind. When I can't those emotions and memories linger for far too long.

The people closest to us will always be the ones that are capable of hurting us the most. Ideally such problems are resolved are resolved by conciliatory actions after we which we forgive if not forget. Around strangers we don't always have the chance closure. An insult or slight is often left as is, without remedy or recourse leaving us to mentally and emotionally deal with it the best way we can. Often we dismiss these interactions soon after because such moments are out of our control and even if we want to, we have little to no control over influencing those who have erred against us. If a person moves on and forgets without these negative moments impacting them then I would consider that as good solution if not a just one. Ignorance is bliss and in these instances this saying probably applies as much as any other.

Some people are more prone to reacting in the moment than others. I won't say that's right or wrong because it would be wrong for me to judge all reactions as the same. Many of them may be constructive or justified. The problem with acting out immediately in a moment of provocation is people often say and do things without using their normal rational thought processes. As a result actions and words said in the heat of the moment can make things worse rather than better. For all the good intentions a person may have they could regret their actions later,particularly if their actions exacerbated a problem rather than helped remedy it.

Finding Clarity

There are many psychological techniques people come up with over the years to help people let go when anger and frustration becomes too much. Sometimes it's a case of imagining yourself carrying something that becomes increasingly heavy and watching it float away. Commonly people use the phrase “happy place” for a virtual place, created from imagination or memory, that is associated with positive and calming emotions or memories. Imagining such a place in a time of real stress can help dissociate those convoluted negative thoughts enough to bring back much needed clarity.

As I've grown older I've become much more philosophical and in heated moments I'll try to pull myself out of the “fire” for the sake of clarity. I don't use the technique in practice but if I did my happy place would be the beach. I love the rhythm and soft sounds of the waves, the endless sky and ocean stretching out in front of me. It's always a great feeling and privilege to watch the sun setting into the sea. Do you have a "happy" place?

Anger in comments means frustration all round

So why am I rambling on about anger? Well I'm part of the Moderation team working on the comments sections around IGN. I only started a few weeks ago and I've been privileged to take part in improving things for all the great users here. In that time I've seen great comments, hilarious gifs and some really intelligent debates. I've always been aware of negative minority, so I've not been surprised by them much though it's still disheartening. My biggest disappointments have come when people respond out of anger or over exuberance. Often good people can get swept up in the moment because another user has baited them or said something inflammatory. Having to delete comments, or give out warnings and bans is all part of the role. When people who I can see have added great comments and value to the community get sucked into repeated quarrels it's disappointing. Having to delete an otherwise great comment because a user added an insult to it is a real shame and lamented by moderators because it's so unnecessary. While we want to resolve problems as soon as they start problems we still rely on the community to behave and hopefully walk away from arguments to help prevent them getting out of hand.

The problem with online comments is context doesn't always come across in just a few words. Meanings and intentions often get perceived differently to which they were intended. Such things can quickly provoke a heated argument especially when people assume other commenters have less than honourable intentions. Passionate debate is one thing but a conversation going round in circles often ends with insults and worse. Even when a user is insulting it's best just to flag the comment and let it go. Letting go of huge frustration or insult is easier said than done but it's the best solution, especially when alternative reactions would likely make things worse.

In the end most of us all want to just get along and enjoy life. Interactions, debates, and issues are all part of that but how we deal with each is a reflection of who we are at those specific moments of time. You could be a positive influence most of the time but offer moments of brief negativity that last longer and have equal or greater impact. It's to easy to become part of the problem, rather than the solution so far as online commenting goes. I'm not a paragon by any stretch of the imagination but I'm increasingly conscious of how my actions and comments impact others. As a result I'll endeavour to continually improve how I interact with people and in particular be more conscious I put forth any opposing opinions or feedback. Sometimes I'll fail sadly but I guess that's just a reminder that I can and must continue to grow now matter how old i get.

So MyIGN, I'd like to know can you let moment of anger or frustration just go? And how would you assess you influence on the commenting culture?

Whatever your thoughts let me know in the comments below.

As always thanks for reading!

]]>Sat, 12 Jul 2014 13:10:07 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/07/12/letting-go-of-anger#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/07/04/my-favourite-developers-a-myign-community-blog
This is my contribution to mikeerik's community project challenging us to write about our favourite developers or publishers. This is pretty difficult as it's only in the least 3 or 4 years that I've paid attention to the smaller details of game creation and publishing. Rather than choose companies I've decided to single out specific people who have played key roles in making some of my favourite games and game franchises.

Shigeru Miyamoto

Perhaps the most casual gamers won't be familiar with the name but chances are most people who've spent any time around games or the people who play them will be familiar with his work. He's the chief creator of most of the major Nintendo brands including Mario, Zelda and Star Fox. If one single person can represent gaming it's Shigeru Miyamoto. He's taken many of his life experiences and observations and put them into games that people of all ages can play and enjoy. His influence spans to each and ever corner of the gaming spectrum.

The Zelda franchise in particular is one close to my heart. I've heard how Miyamoto would wander around the forests where he lived as a child and how these moments inspired the creation Link. A young boy who would set off on an adventure exploring forests and caves and battle evil. There's something unique and special about this man even now at the age of 64. He understands more than most how children perceive the world and he takes that wonderment and applies it into games. For me he's like Peter Pan in spirit and it's a quality he's tried to share with all of us through the Many Nintendo games he's been associated with.

I've included a video which I find interesting. It's a reminder of not just his creative talent but his artistic talents too.

Hironobu Sakaguchi

I love a good JRPG even though for many years I was averse to their rather insular nature. I played the occasion action RPG as kid but other than Chrono Trigger it would take a long time for me to accept turn based combat. For all those years on the sidelines one franchise would loom in the distance and with the advent of the Playstation would really fill me envy. Final Fantasy had been around for many years before but now looked mind blowingly gorgeous particular in the FMV cut scenes. Still it wasn't until Final Fantasy X that I would venture forth and enjoy what the franchise had to offer. One man unknown to me at the time, was largely responsible for creation of franchise and nurturing of the genre throughout the NES and SNES era and that was Hironobu Sakaguchi.

Sadly by FF X his time with Final Fantasy series was coming to and end and he would go on to create a new company with the help of Microsoft, called Mistwalker. There he would continue to created great JRPGs that would sadly sit in the shadows of the Final Fantasy franchise despite being regarded by some as superior games. His last console JRPG co-created with Nintendo, The Last Story, for Wii was well received. In fact it's one of my favourite games and does many things right. Unfortunately it's release was delayed in North America adding to what were already weak sales. The game itself was great combining a unique action and turn based combat system that would have only been improved in the future. The future of this franchise is unclear and sadly Sakaguchi is now solely working on mobile games which marks a tremendous fall in many people's eyes for someone who I regard as the “father of JRPGs”.

Well that's it. I don't like tagging people but I encourage anyone to join in and write about their favourite video game developers. It doesn't have to be long and or great. Just taking part is enough ^_^

So tell me MyIGN. What are your favourite video game developers and why?

So I've been tagged as part of blazer99'scommunity project which has challenged us to write about our saddest gaming moments. As painful as it is to reflect on the past hurts gaming has produced I've decided to join the party. The worst moments of these in my mind aren't in game moments but when a consoles die or worse save data is lost but I've written about that already. Of the great emotional in game experiences there are many but there's one moment in particular that springs to mind before others.

Valkyria Chronicles is one of my favourite games for so many reasons. If you ever plan on playing this game or watching the anime please leave now. At it's core it's story is built around fantastic characters, some of which remain my favourites to this day. In particular there are a number of great playable female characters showcasing a range a of qualities, both good and bad.

The moment I've chosen revolves around the playable character Isara Gunther. Brother to the squad commander by virtue of adoption. Isara has had to deal with many tough situations. Losing her paternal father to war and her adopted parents was tough leaving her and her brother to look after each other. Unfortunately for Isara the greatest problem she faces on a daily basis is the fact she is a Darcsen, which is essentially the minority. They are persecuted and blamed historically for anything and everything. As a result any Darcsen, identifiable by their black hair, is shunned by the majority of society.

Upon joining the squad to defend her nation she faces much resistance because of her ethnicity. In spite of this she always smile and is positive no matter how cruel or ignorant people are towards her. I think this is the reason why I really like her character. Of all her squad mates one in particular, Rosie, is extremely resistant to accepting her. In fact it takes a large part of the game for their relationship to develop to the point where Rosie finally accepts that Isara and and let go of her prejudices. But very soon after this happens......

Well this moment was brutal. I didn't expect it. If I wasn't a robot I definitely would have cried. It was a moment filled with many emotions from anger to sadness all mixed together. The game is so beautiful and even the combat isn't graphically violent. While the story tackles issues or racism and persecution I didn't think a main character would be at risk. Certainly not the one character who is purely sincere, optimistic and well meaning. Sadly in the real world bad things happen to good people but not usually in the gaming world. The game made me love an amazing character only to take them away. It was a seminal moment in the game and something that will live forever in my memory.

Well that's it. I don't like tagging people but I encourage anyone to join in and write about their saddest gaming moments. It doesn't have to be long and or great. Just taking part is enough ^_^

I grew up in 80's England and like most people here only had access to the four free channels. There was no cartoon channel playing animations all day long. The choice was by far much more restricted than it is now. During the week two of the channels would have hour long kids programming segments but weekends were the best. Saturday morning TV was the best time to enjoy great shows for kid. After a good nights sleep I would get up early and rush downstairs and enjoy some of the best cartoons to be created ever.

There are so many awesome animations I watched that many won't have heard of but I'm choosing one for the simple reason is that it always made me happy. It's a cartoon that unfortunately hasn't been remade by Disney after two decades, at least not yet. The legacy of it lives on through a feature length animated movie and a HD remake of what was already a great game back in the NES days. My choice is the “DuckTales”.......awooohoooo!

It has one of the best happy theme songs ever made just listen and if you know the words sing along.

Characters

Donald (Left), Launchpad (Center), Scrooge (Right)

The main character is Scrooge McDuck, the richest man (duck) in Duckburg. He's so rich he has a tall tower filled with money that he swims through. If I ever won the lottery it would be the first thing I'd do. Scrooge, like his namesake, is stingy and old but the differences stop there. He's extremely greedy and always on the hunt for more money and treasures. The only thing he loves more the adventure of treasure hunting and the prizes they bring are his closest family and friends. In spite of his faults he's a loveable character who's a rare success amongst kids. Few cartoon protagonists are old aged but Scrooge has many characteristics and desires that most children share. He also happens to be the uncle of Donald Duck who makes an occasional cameo in the series.

Huey, Dewey and Louie are the great nephews of Scrooge with whom they live. They don't feature in all the stories but often their impish and mischievous nature cause all sorts of adventures. I think it's these characters that really help keep kids attached. My nephew recently watched the movie and he thought all their capers were hilarious.

Webby

There is one other child in the mansion and who is the granddaughter of Scrooges maid. Called Webby, she always wears a characteristic pink bow. She's much calmer and shier than the boys and particularly girly. Secretly she wants to be accepted as another as the fourth “nephew” and often feels like an outsider, partly because she's a girl, despite being part of the family. She's very much a side character but one I'm glad they included. I love Scrooge but never liked the “nephews” much so I'm glad the series has the contrast that Webby brings. .

Launch Pad is Scrooges is trusty pilot. Unfortunate he's infamous for crashing planes. He pilots Scrooge on his many adventures and gets Scrooge to his desired locations despite a few bumps and scrapes as well as multiple trashed vehicles. He also appears in the spin-off series Darkwing Duck.

Why did I love it

I always loved the idea of adventure and every kid wants to be rich, right? More than anything I enjoyed the youthful nature and spirit of Scrooge to whom age was no obstacle. In many ways he's the most childish of all the characters but when it comes down to serious business he often shows great maturity and wisdom. His compassion for his great nephews as well as Webby was touching. Particular because Webby wasn't officially part of his family but was always part of his loving home.

I'm hoping Disney remake this and not in any weird CG style or in a modern setting. If my nephews reaction is anything to go by DuckTales still has much to offer decades after its initial release. Please Disney, bring it back with respect, with the same sense of adventure, with all the same youthfulness and justify even more my undiminished love of this series.

Did you love this show? Even if you didn't you MUST still love the theme tune right? Let me know in the comments below.

]]>Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:10:53 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/25/myign-weekly-theme-favourite-cartoons-ducktales#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/23/movies-from-distant-lands-2-emotion
This series of blogs will focus on promoting some of the best "foreign" or non-English language movies. A few will be well known but others may prove to be long hidden gems. It doesn't matter if you watch a dubbed or subtitled version as long as you enjoy the experience. If modern Western cinema's storytelling and sequelitis syndrome is wearing you down, you've come to the right place.

This week I've chosen movies that evoked deep emotions and characters that drew out genuine empathy. Even guys are allowed to cry sometimes right? If you cry because of one these movies it'll just prove your still a human with a warm heart and not a robot like me.

The Flowers of War (2011, China)

Most World War II movies I've seen have focused on the battles between the Allied forces and the Nazi's. Often ignored is the conflict in Asia between Japanese forces and the other countries of South-East Asia. This movie depicts a tale of the event in China now commonly referred to as “the rape of Nanking”. It's not a movie for faint hearts. If you've seen “Saving Private Ryan” and can tolerate the gritty reality approach then you'll “enjoy” this movie.

This movie is predominantly in English with some subtitled scenes and features Hollywood star Christian Bale playing the role of a mortician arriving at a Church in Nanking to bury the former priest. On arrival he finds himself the lone adult and reluctant protector and custodian of the girls at the convent as well as a group of prostitutes seeking refuge for the massacre outside the Church walls. Though the rest of the cast is unfamiliar all do an outstanding job portraying the fears and anxieties of civilians during war. Just as important is their depiction of small moments of happiness and hope.

Directed by the renowned Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Hero) this movie made me feel anger, pity, happiness and much sadness. I'm not a fan of war films in general and I found this experience tough to watch in particular as I really felt for the characters. Too often entertainment media, in particular gaming, puts a glamorous spin on war. If your in that frame of mind this is the perfect movie to bring clarity to the harsh realities of war.

A Moment To Remember (2004, South Korea)

This story revolves around the relationship of a young couple and their growing love. It starts of on a light note with several humerus moments. Unfortunately for them 27 year old Sung Jin is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and movie depicts the trials she faces along with her partner as the disease progresses.

Alzheimer's disease is associated with old age but it can occur at younger ages, when people may be considered to be in their prime. Seeing a beautiful relationship blossom in spite of many tradition challenges only face one out of their control is hard to accept. Sometimes life isn't fair. Thanks to great acting, direction and elegant storytelling you can share the emotions and appreciations of the characters on screen. This movie is just two hours long and packs in an entire spectrum of emotions and subtleties but it never feels rushed. Even if you dislike romance this is still worth watching and currently one of the highest rated South Korean movies by users of IMDB.

When The Last Sword Is Drawn (2003, Japan)

Delivered through the memories of two different people the story depicts the life of Kanichiro Yoshimura, an eccentric and unconventional samurai. Introduced as someone who's abandoned both his family and his clan to move to a larger town.This movie starts off incredibly slow, perhaps intentionally. If you didn't know anything of it would be tough to work out where the movie was headed or whether you should bother continuing at all. You should as the the pacing picks up gradually. As each layer is unwrapped the mystery, motivations and personalities of all the characters involved are and explained. It's quite a journey and the contrast of how you look at different characters from the beginning of the movie to the end makes it a memorable and touching experience with great ending.

While all these movies have fine acting the excellent performance of Kichi Nakai, who plays Yoshimura, stands out. It's helped by the screenplay and directing but there's captivating personality delivered through the acting more than anything else. Also the soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi, who you will have heard on most Studio Ghibli movies, is excellent and adds to the emotional build up. This is the movie, of the three listed, that I watched most recently but I'm sure the tale and feelings will live long in the memory.

That's it for today. Three lesser known movies from three different countries. Have you seen any of them before? Let me know in the comments below and feel free to make any suggestions on movies you think I should include.

As always, thanks for reading!

If you want to check out my previous blogs inlcuding the first of this series check out my blog archive.

]]>Mon, 23 Jun 2014 11:46:04 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/23/movies-from-distant-lands-2-emotion#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/15/random-youtube-video-disney-and-pixar-impressionist-sings-let-it-go
Came across this video. I'm sure everyone's heard the Frozen song far too many times already but this rendition is made up of impressions of other Disney and Pixar characters singing the song. Thought it was impressive since all the impressions were done by a single guy. Here it is.

So I've been pretty distracted of late and I haven't written or read half the things I've wanted to. Hardly a huge problem in the grand scheme of things but I appreciate this community far more than I can put into words. I have just a few hours before Lost_In_Translation announces a new challenge in the form of this weeks MyIGN blog theme. Also since R1ch404 tagged me in first community project which by fortunate chance uses the same theme meaning I can beat two challenges by writing one blog. Challenge Accepted! And for my choices I have gone down the path of 2 in 1 or duality.

I've always like impure characters and ones that show and act with motives that can be construed as both good and bad depending on your point of view. I've chosen characters from Game of Thrones because it's a show I love and the books have been equally enjoyable.

**SPOILERS FOR GAME OF THRONES TV SHOW AND BOOKS ***

Sandor Clegane aka The Hound

Sandor Clegane, nicknamed the Hound due to his obedience and the hounds on his family banner, is my first choice. While his brother Gregor, the Mountain, is a truly monstrous villain made of pure hate, the Hound is far more complicated. He will carry out acts of unquestionable barbaric nature without questioning right or wrong for the simple reason of duty. A dog doesn't ask “Why?”, it only follows it's master call. He's murdered countless adults and children without a second thought. But if he's done this all for his superiors is he really pure evil? I wonder.

His biggest defence comes via his interactions with Sansa Stark. From small things like offering Sansa a handkerchief to wipe away her blood and giving her brief words of advice it's clear he is not all hate and robotic obedience. During their return to the Red Keep, Sansa is kidnapped during the riots that break out. When no one else steps forward to go out amongst the chaos to find her, even the King's elite guards, Sandor Clegane takes it upon himself to do so. He rescues Sansa Stark from being raped, risking his life in the process and without the orders of King to push him forward. Whether his motives are romantic or just that he pities the girl because somehow she reminds him who he once was doesn't matter. The act is unquestionably good and unquestionably courageous. When Sansa needed rescuing most it wasn't a knight in shining armour that came to her aide but a “dog”.

Now one great deed does not erase the countless evils both before and after, but for me it makes me enjoy him as a “villain”. His fear of fire and need to drink copious amounts of alcohol just make him more pitiful and me hopeful that somehow he can try to be a more positive influence. The truth is even after 4 seasons there's a lot about the Sandor Clegane's motivations and history we don't understand but maybe some things are better left unsaid.

Jamie Lannister aka The King Slayer

Famed across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond for prowess with a sword and for his looks, Jamie Lannister holds the nickname the King Slayer. The incestuous relationship he has with his sister is heinous enough which is one of the very few things he cares about along with his reputation. Amongst his other evil deeds is pushing a boy out of a window, but even then it was to protect his relationship with his sister and with it his reputation too. The truth is Jamie Lannister is very much act first and think later type of person. He was complicit in the sacking of Kings Landing by his fathers army. This included the killing and rape of many of the cities innocent citizens.

His infamous act of betrayal against his king which earned him his King Slayer nickname was one of the few rare acts of good in his life. Perhaps its typical of Westeros that this act should be seen by almost everyone as an act of dishonour. Sure he broke his vow of protecting the king by stabbing him, literally, in the back but this was only when the Mad King had given an order for the city to be set ablaze and all of its enemies and innocent citizens with it. Though some may argue that this was a case of a man merely protecting himself, I like to believe to the contrary.

Catelyn Stark

Oh poor poor Catelyn. Where did it all go wrong. First and foremost Catelyn Stark is a loving mother though how good a mother is debatable and no doubt many will disagree with me on this choice. So why is a Catelyn a villain? Well I read the books a long time ago and noticed she's one of the main instigators in moving the plot forward. She urges her husband to go to Kings Landing to find out what happened to John Arryn, the recently deceased husband of her sister.

She falsely accuses and captures Tyrion Lannister of attempted murder. This act triggers the start of the war between the Houses of Stark and Lannister with dire consequences. She councils her young son forward towards war and revenge after her husband, Ned Stark, is beheaded for treason. At a time where I felt she should protect her children the most, at least the ones in her possession, she councils her son to get revenge and “kill them all”. Another fateful move by what is largely a well meaning and good natured person.

Lastly there's her relationship with her husbands bastard son John Snow. Even as a baby she could not treat him with any sense of compassion, because he was a symbol of her husbands infidelity. At one point she even prayed to the gods that the baby die though she later felt bad for doing so. Throughout his childhood he would be treated by Catelyn with contempt, derision and never be treated as an equal or proper member of the Stark family because of her hate.

Ygritte

Is Ygritte a hero or a villain? Well that's really tough to say. I think of all the characters listed here her motives are the purest even if her actions may seem "bad". Ygritte is a wildling and does not follow the same culture and traditions as those south of the Wall. She takes what she wants because she can. Killing is a necessity of her life and not choice of good or evil. Incredibly strong willed and brave, she's definitely a force to be reckoned with. In her favour she vouches for John Snow when he's captured by Wildlings north of the Wall. Against her is the fact that she was the reason he was caught in the first place.

In the television series we get to see Ygritte do what Wildlings are known for and that is pillaging and sacking. She kills without flinching, with purpose and ferocity. But in a touching moment she allows mother and baby to hide away and hopefully survive the bloodshed while the massacre continues around them. I see Ygritte as as one of the good characters who by circumstance does bad things to innocent people, like many of of othe other great characters from this amazing series.

This post was a little hurried so maybe more inconsistant than usual. If you spot any glaring errors feel free to let me know in the comments section. I won't take it personally

As part of R1ch404's challenge I'm supposed to tag people. It's not something I'm comfortable doing so I'm leaving the option for anyone to join in his project open. If you want to contribute feel free to let me know and i'll add your name below. There are 3 spots available. Tagged so far: RCC97.

So do you agree with this assesment? Probably not, but what let me know what you think of these characters in the comments belows.

]]>Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:29:44 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/10/heroes-or-villains-from-a-game-of-thrones#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/05/movies-from-distant-lands-1-martial-arts
Note: Thanks to fellow blogger and MyIGN member Mikeerik for coming up with the title.

This series of blogs will focus on promoting some of the great "foreign" or non-English language movies. Some of these will be well known but others may prove to be long hidden gems. I hope to explain the reasons why watching these movies will be hugely rewarding even if have to read subtitles or, if you dare, watch a dubbed version. Whichever version you choose, you should try these movies out. If modern Western cinema's storytelling and sequelitis syndrome is wearing you down you've come to the right place.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, China)

Director: Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain, Hulk)

Starring:Chow Yun-Fat (Replacement Killers, Bulletproof Monk)

Michelle Yeoh (Memoirs of a Geisha, Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor)

Ziyi Zhang (Rush Hour 2, Memoirs of a Geisha)

Genre: Martial Arts, Romance

Plot: A multi-layered story of a stolen sword, love, duty and revenge.

Why should you watch it?

This is, in my opinion, the greatest martial arts movie ever made because it's also a great movie in general that happens to feature martial arts. It's very much a total package even though from a distance it may seem like a yet another ludicrous kung fu movie. The martial arts choreography paired beautifully with the musical score creates scenes that are remarkably elegant in spite of their ferociousness and danger. From hand to hand combat to a stunning variety of weapons the martial arts showcase is difficult to beat.

The reason this movie is so well rounded is the romance and subtleties of storytelling. The romantic scenes are well written and are never obtuse, delivering character development and motivations on a level seen in few martial arts movies. Again these themes are highlighted by the incredible soundtrack that uses many very traditional Asian instruments. The vista's are beautiful, the acting and martial arts are sharp. Even the English dubbing is decent thanks to effort put in to mime English words during filming and the hiring of good voice actors.

This move only cost approximately 17 million USD to create and made over 10 times that amount after being a hit success worldwide. Make no mistake this is a movie you should watch, even if you don't enjoy martial arts there's a great experience to be had as long as you keep an open mind. There is an upcoming sequel due out by a different director, so I urge you to watch this before Hollywood gets a chance to taint it. If those weren't enough reasons it also features two of the best strongest female characters in any movie.

Kung Fu Hustle 2004 China

Director: Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, King of Comedy)

Starring: Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer),

Wah Yuen (Dragon Tiger Gate)

Genre: Comedy, Kung Fu

Plot: A wannabe gangster tries his hand at terrorising the citizens of a small town but it met with unexpected resistance

This is a hilarious comedy outright that just happens to feature martial arts movies. The slapstick humour and wacky scenes often resemble something out of an episode of the “Road Runner” cartoons. While there are many clever and subtle references, you don't have to look to deep to enjoy what's happening.

The martial arts are very computer heavy in the vain of the “Matrix” movies. They include a large variety of weapons and styles which are clearly defined for viewers to enjoy. Stephen Chow and company manage to produce great martial arts scenes punctuated with moments of hilarity. While Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is serious and moving movie, Kung Fu Hustle focusses purely on enjoyment and laughter.

By no means should anyone take it too seriously. The English dubbing is intentionally bad and creates an added layer of comedy but I still prefer the original Cantonese (Chinese) audio. Both languages are usually on the DVD so you always have the choice. It's only 98 minutes long so not a major investment of time or deep emotions. Costing approximately 20 million USD it made over 100 million USD at worldwide box offices which is a colossal amount for a movie outside of the West. There are so few movies as wacky and hilarious as this so even if you hate martial arts you still give it a go.

That's it for today. Two very different kung fu movies movies and two of my favourites. So have you seen either of these?

Whatever your thoughts, feel free to share them in respectfully in the comments below. As always, thanks for reading.

]]>Thu, 05 Jun 2014 10:06:44 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/06/05/movies-from-distant-lands-1-martial-arts#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/30/mk1982s-blog-archive
I've compiled a list of all my past blogs here include the crappier ones. The numbers denote the order published and not a ranking

]]>Fri, 30 May 2014 10:01:56 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/30/mk1982s-blog-archive#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/28/why-are-dungeons-so-goodin-games
Chances are if you have played a modest variety of games in the recent past, you'll have come across one of the many manifestations of the gaming dungeon. They vary wildly in shape, size, mystery and danger. So why are they are they so popular amongst gaming creators and fans I like I certainly have my reasons why I love them and why I think other do too.

Actions and Consequences

Playing games is first and foremost an active and engaging experience. It's a factor that's intrinsic to our gaming philosophies from the moment we start the game. Gaming has generally been presented as a challenge set for us to overcome but increasingly in recent years the overall experience superseded the gameplay in importance. Dungeons in games are as popular as ever and that is largley thanks to the challenges they provide us and the many rewards they contain.

Humans are inquisitive by nature and I'm typical in that mindset. Society and culture causes us to curb our natural curiosity, at least in terms of physical actions and restrain ourselves from asking the questions we may want to. In games there aren't the same levels of socio-cultural restrictions and most games have very few dynamics to actively enforce these adequately. Morality is still underused and often unrefined creating choices without consequences of real significance to gamers. Curbing curiosity through morality choices can be significant but the main hindrance is always danger.

A dungeon is filled with all manner of terrors and traps created for the purpose ending your journey in a sudden and tragic fashion. The caution they generate is by far a greater form of control than most moral obstacles. Death can result in the loss of progress and even when it doesn't, the fear of “failure” will influence a player's every move. Every action could have consequences so removing items, pushing blocks or tracking down the source of a sound is a choice that should be made with care. The rewards in a dungeon are often great from amazing weapons to gold but typically the risk and danger that accompany their collection should be appropriate. Whatever the setting when most players know there is a possiblility of useful treasure to be found, it can be hard to walk away in spite of dangers. Greed works against us as players too often. Ask yourself "Can we ever leave a treasure chest unopened?". I know I can't.

A Beautiful Danger

Most of us don't have the opportunity or ability to be the great explorers we might once have dreamt of becoming. There are sights on this planet that we can barely comprehend or appreciate in pictures and video. Places like the Inca settlement of Machu Pichu in Peru, the Great Pyramids in Egypt and the Forbidden City in China. Those a just a few examples of real world places and games aren't confined to real world and current timelines. They can recreate the great settlement of Machu Pichu in its prime filled with real or very surreal inhabitants. The restrictions are only the hardware that it's to be recreated on and the imagination of it's creators. Gaming dungeon designs are often spectacular even compared to greatest of real world fortresses.

Gaming has produced the amazing and beautiful buildings in the Assassins Creed series to the complex fantasy dungeons of the Zelda franchise. Whichever the dungeon, the mystery and theme is always one to be savoured and the views of it enjoyed. Often developers force your route to give you some of the best views but that shouldn't stop you exploring each and every corner. When playing “ICO”, one of my favourite games, I would clamber upon every ledge and climb every chain to enjoy the different and precarious views. Though the challenges may be great, every good explorer should find those quiet moments to appreciate the beauty and the environment they find themselves in.

Puzzle Solving

Typically every dungeon is a large and complex puzzle made up of smaller components. Many people, especially myself, love puzzles. They force a player to think both logically and creatively and interact with the environments in new and unexpected ways. Best of all, once solved they deliver a level of satisfaction and heightened feeling of intelligence that's magnified by the difficulty of what has gone before. It's a feeling for me that's unique among the gaming experiences. Anyone who's unravelled the complex Water Dungeon from the Zelda game “Ocarina of Time” will have felt the huge weight of the dungeon's many burdens and eventually the elation and relief afterwards. To this day the fact I made it through that dungeon is a badge of honour I carry along with so many other Zelda fans out there.

Pursuing A Goal

Gaming dungeons can be used to seal something like a mythical item in “Diablo”or a caged princess in “ICO”. The dungeon is always designed to keep a player from their goal be it an object, person or simply the route forward in their journey. Motivations for successfully navigating a dungeon may differ from one game to another but for some games, and game franchises, the dungeons themselves are at centre of their identities. In these games overcoming the dungeons themselves can be a greater motivation and objective than the story created by the developers to guide you into completing them.

To Be The Boss, You Must Beat The Boss?

While some dungeons are vast and filled puzzles alone others hide a very menacing final challenge. A boss fight can be the highlight of the dungeon experience and the best opportunity to relieve all that pent up tension and frustration collected from the challenges before. In Zelda games the bosses themselves aren't particularly difficult in terms of combat because they're typically an extension of the dungeon puzzles. One the puzzles are solved the combat is fairly straight forward. Other games pit you against a behemoth so monstrous you that you will fail at your first attempt and many attempts there after. Be it a battle of brain or brawn, the boss battle in a dungeon is the classic set-piece ending to that epic journey.

One Dungeon To Rule Them All?

Whatever the factors that resonate most, a dungeon means multiple problems for a player to overcome and enjoy. It's a combination of the challenges and rewards that makes a dungeon a genuinely immersive part of a game and one where a players focus and concentration should naturally be heightened. Once completed a player should feel satisfied, elated, and proud. If, like in the game “ICO”, the player is imprisoned and trying to get out the success of the long journey is capped by great feeling of emancipation.

So what is my favourite gaming dungeon? Well I've mentioned many of my favourite games with “dungeons” already but there's also the temples from the "Tomb Raider" games or the facility from "Dino Crisis". The truth is I love to be challenged by intelligent dungeon designs even more than the combat required to navigate them safely. To be honest I genuinely don't have a favourite. I love and hate every challenging building or labyrinth I come across. I get so single minded and so focussed on these challenges that I can't divert my attention anywhere else. In recent years I was surprised with one game in particular for innovating how dungeons are emmbedded into the in game environments. That game was "the Legend of Zelda:Skyward Sword". By creating environments around the main dungeon that use similar puzzles and logic to complete the "dungeon" was expanded far beyond it's typical borders. Dungeon design hasn't been too radical overly the years so I'm hopefull more refinement will come in the not too distant future.

I'm a person who enjoys a challenge to the end and I love the immediate tasks laid out by a dungeon both mental and physical. For that reason if I had to choose a favourite, I'd say it's always the dungeon I play through next. I don't want to look back when there's a new challenge on the horizon. When a dungeon is done, the challenge is dead and it's time for me to move forward to the next arena that beckons me toward it.

So do you love Dungeons? Sure it must be a “Hell Yes!!” but even if it isn't, let me know in the comments below.

As always, thanks for reading.

]]>Wed, 28 May 2014 17:27:32 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/28/why-are-dungeons-so-goodin-games#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/22/a-child-without-gaming-wonderment
Note: This isn't an assessment of any individual child but just an observation of the changing tastes and trends within the youngest gamers.

Are children growing up too fast? I'm nowhere near knowledgeable, smart or arrogant enough to say with any certainty. It's hard to deny that the youth of today are increasingly exposed to media that is both increasingly sexual and violent. Its down to individual parents to decide what a child should and should not be exposed to but entertainment media sources are so ubiquitous and pervasive its impossible to control for most parents. Be it in school playgrounds or a friend's house a child can read, watch or play media that contain content that their parents wouldn't deem suitable.

The great bastions of child friendly gaming

Gaming was a different scene back in the 80s. Games were "hardcore" but the graphical make up of games were so blocky and so far from realistic that the actual content or actions games depicted had little to no impact on audiences. Everything was new and everything was just an experience filled with wonderment. It was all about playing in a very new and unique way. The context of the on screen actions never mattered to anyone I knew.

Back in the 80s you really had use your imagination when playing games

I have no children of my own but I have plenty of nephews and nieces most of whom play video games of one sort or another. There are obviously certain games that most people would recognize as being child friendly. A game series like “Super Mario Bros.” has long been a staple choice for parents of children. Equally, “Sonic” or more recently “Skylanders” and “Pokemon” are choices few would argue aren't suitable for children. There's one issue that makes some of these games a difficult choice, for some parents, and it's this reason I've decided to write this blog. Some children just don't want to play these games, and the reasons are many and complex. I'll try my best to explain why I think it's the case.

As children, or even as adults, we have a tendency to follow social trends. The reasons are different for each individual, but children, just like most adults, will tend to conform and follow the mass trends. It's normal to want to play the games our friends are playing and be part of the conversation. Sharing an experience will naturally bring two people together even if their interpretations are different. Talking about games can be a lot of fun and it's something kids do to this day. I suspect other than some games like “Pokemon” and “Minecraft,” most of the school yard gaming conversations are focused on more adult orientated games such as “Call of Duty” or “Grand Theft Auto”. The popularity of these games is helped exponentially by the fact both children and adults alike are willing to share opinions and clips of gameplay with each other. The social impact amongst children is far more significant than any marketing campaign could hope to be. It's something that's only been strengthened by the prevalence of services like YouTube and Twitch, as well as the many social networks.

Should children play these games? It's a question each parent will have to decide for themselves

Marketing today is everywhere and relentless in its efforts to reach audiences of all ages. Adverts on television, magazines or online are often seen by children even when the games they advertise are for an older audience. Even as children watch a video about one game they may be forced to sit through an advert for another. In theory the adverts would be for similarly appropriate games as the target videos or article, but this isn't always the case. The prevalence and invasiveness of marketing is something most children have experienced for decades, it's just mediums have changed allowing for more access from a wider variety of sources. Perhaps for a child the end influences aren't any greater or less than they were back in the 80s.

There's one major point that above all else I shouldn't discount. When I grew up my siblings and I were amongst the first generation of "gamers". Our parents didn't play video games and marketing avenues for gaming companies were largely restricted to a few television adverts or posters. In those days I played the games I had access to - not games I had heard of years before, and not games that came recommended to me by friends unless I had borrowed the game from them. The games I played weren't dictated by social circles or mass marketing until many years later. Today many of the older gamers have children and some of the oldest may even have grandchildren who play some type of video game. Children often want to play and be involved with parent's hobbies, and similarly parents want to share their interests with their children. So when a child sees a parent play a game they naturally have a curiosity and interest in their parents experience.

I have a friend who's a serious gamer. he does play the odd Nintendo game, a Little Big Planet or a Ratchet and Clank but generally these days the games he plays have serious themes, realistic graphics and feature a varying level of graphical violence from moderate to graphic. His son, who is now 9, has always been obsessed with the games his father plays. Despite repeated attempts to get him to play games that are age appropriate its failed on all counts except one. His son enjoys joyriding in Grand Theft Auto, creating carnage in God Of War and pounding evil in Batman games. He's never been allowed to play online with others and he doesn't play any FPS games so that is something of a positive in my mind. The exception to this is that he loves the franchised Lego games. Even then he prefers to play on his own but his dad can always jump in to lend a helping hand as a second player which is perfect.

New heroes arrive in the defense of child friendly gaming

I'm not a parent and not all that judgemental. I have my opinion on whether a child should play age appropriate games, but that doesn't matter outside of my own gaming world and any children that are in my immediate care. The most important thing I believe comes from educating children. There is a notion that games influence or educate children and modern media would have you believe every crazed gunman or terrorist played countless hours of violent video games. Children are far more complex and resilient than that. They learn from all the sources around them, and most significantly their morals are largely shaped by their parent's beliefs and their environment, which includes friends, circumstances, and even computer games. It is possible to corrupt any person, child or adult, if you only give them a very finite range of experiences, but most children are free to absorb a variety of influences, and build their understandings and appreciations upon them.

My friend's son, as annoying and frustrating as he can be, is smart enough to skip through any inappropriate cutscenes. In truth, he skips through every cutscene because he doesn't care about stories. I guess that explains a lot. To him the game is just a game and not a depiction of real life actions or scenarios. Personally, I think that's an amazing way to view a game. The way children appreciate and experience games is completely different. The world has changed a huge amount since I was a child, but the gaming world has been changing at an even more rapid pace. The advent of mobile, free-to-play and increased amounts of disposable income for games means that many children have amazing access to games. A child will enjoy and play one game and move to another with little regard of real world value, particularly in the mobile space. There's often little time for or need for sentimentality. Its all about finding games they enjoy and experiencing them until its no longer fun or something better is on the horizon. Playing for the fun of playing, without obsession of other factors like trophies or stats. It's an amazing thing, and a feeling we lose too quickly as we grow and mature.

Like I said, gaming shouldn't be an education source. It remains the primary responsibility of parents to teach children to appreciate what they have, and even free games are a privilege that not everyone shares. I'll accept that games can influence children to some extent, particularly when they don't have the correct guidance from those around them. I'm of the opinion that game makers have the right to make games in whatever fashion they like. It's up to us as an audience to dictate what is acceptable by not buying games we feel aren't appropriate for either children or adults.

Too often, as adults, we over analyze games, obsess about mechanics, online connections and graphics or storylines, instead of just getting down to the basics of playing a game and enjoying it as it is and whether it is good or bad. So when you're waiting for that next game of “Call of Duty” or “Titanfall” and start to get frustrated, or question the ending of a game like “Mass Effect 3” or “The Last of Us,” perhaps its best to step back and ask yourself one thing.Have you become a gamer without childlike wonderment?

Whatever your opinions are on anything mentioned in this blog, please share them respectfully in the comments below.

]]>Thu, 22 May 2014 18:28:03 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/22/a-child-without-gaming-wonderment#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/19/myign-guide-wrapping-text-around-images
If you join IGN, you have access to our blogging platform. It's fun, it's free and a great way to share and debate opinions in a respectful and welcoming community. Plus you have a chance to get your content featured on the front page! Here's just a few people who were featured recently:

As you can see it looks OK, but the text is touching the side of the image. To fix that do the following.

Left click on the image in the blog editor to bring up two options. The left allows you to edit the image. The right removes the image from the blog. Click on the left option, which looks like a picture

A menu should pop-up with two tabs at the top. Select the "advanced settings" tab and halfway down you should see the "Advanced Image Settings". I've highlighted the lines we're interested in which is "Image properties". There are 3 fields which we can change here;

1. Border - Adds a black border around the image. If you would like one, just enter a number. In the example below I've enter 3 (pixels).

2. Vertical Space - I've never had to alter this because the default font has enough space both above and below the text not to touch any text.

3. Horizontal Space - This is the key field. I use 8 or 10 in the field. You can enter higher if you like but as long as you enter a number the text should no longer touch the sides of the image.

Once your numbers are entered, you MUST hit the "update" button at the bottom of the page, and not press the "enter" button. Now, hopefully your image should have the breathing space it deserves, like below.

Hurray!!! You're now a blogging Jedi -- well, maybe not but at least your blogs will look nice and swanky.

]]>Mon, 19 May 2014 10:14:11 -0700Edithttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/19/myign-guide-wrapping-text-around-images#disqus_threadhttp://www.ign.com/blogs/mk1982/2014/05/16/myign-weekly-blog-2-giant-monsters
I make this choice not based upon careful analysis, hours of reading or watching, or appreciation of the story at large. My understanding is probably off since I've only just started reading this book today. Even without the proper research or knowledge I feel like its still been a significant yet mysterious figure both through out my childhood and even today.

Known by many names Moby Dick is a great white whale which features in the book, of the same name, by Herman Melville. It's the story of one man's obsession for revenge against a monstrous whale who destroyed his ship and severed one of his legs. The man, named Ahab, was a whaler hunting and killing whales for a living. Even though Ahab believes Moby Dick to be a monster who struck out against him, it soon becomes obvious that the greatest monstrosity in the story is the nature of man. Its something that many of the classic monster movies have depicted in the past where “monsters” while aggressive are generally only responding to the cruel nature of humanity or as in the case of Godzilla are a divine punishment for man's sins.

For Ahab and symbolically today, a white whale, is an ever moving target that seems insurmountable. Everyone has or has had a “white whale” in their lives at some point. A singular objective for which a person may make great and illogical sacrifices without care. The journeys are long and arduous leading to a pyrrhic victory. Revenge is often like that, taking away from a person as much as any real gain, but other pursuits of obsession can take a similar path. The reality is Moby Dick symbolizes and means many different things to both characters in the book as well as readers alike. To Ahab its a source or anger and evil. To some its a symbol of Ahab's obsession and humanities need for revenge. Some people may believe that the whale is just a simple means to provide for fisherman's families.

Description

“

the largest sperm whale that ever lived

Moby Dick is described as the largest sperm whale that ever lived and though his size is never detailed in the book it is said, in the book, that sperm whales can grow up to ninety feet which is over 27m. Although Moby Dick is described as the great white whale it also has darker patches though its majority is pale white. White Sperm whales are incredibly rare in the wild and adults range between 60-70ft which is much shorter than described in the book. These facts add the enigma that is Moby Dick.

Check out this terrible 2010 movie. So bad it must be good

Thats all I have for this week. Its been a weird week with many random distractions. Fingers crossed the pursuit for writing that one great blog doesn't become my "white whale". As always thanks for reading folks.